Merchantwise Group accelerates expansion with acquisition of Jaywing and Frank Digital

Australian integrated marketing and media company Merchantwise Group has acquired data, creative and performance marketing agency Jaywing, and digital product and UX specialist Frank Digital, accelerating its strategic plan to become a top five independent marketing and media agency.

The acquisition of Jaywing and Frank Digital is Merchantwise Group’s second major purchase in 2025, third in the past three years, and marks the largest and most transformative to date, doubling the size and scale of the business.

Backed by Sydney-based private equity firm Parc Capital, the group has delivered over 30% revenue growth annually for five consecutive years, and is actively pursuing acquisitions to drive future expansion in Australia and internationally.

The addition of Jaywing and Frank Digital extends the group’s capabilities across AI-powered media, data strategy, performance marketing, UX/UI, and digital product development, managing over $110 million in client media spend and overseeing licensing and consumer products programs that generate over $500 million in retail sales annually.

Says Alan Schauder (above left), group CEO of Merchantwise Group: “This is a transformative moment for our group. Jaywing and Frank Digital are powerhouse agencies that work with major Australian and global brands. By bringing them into the Merchantwise Group, we’re combining data, creativity, media and technology to deliver full-funnel solutions for some of the world’s most exciting brands. We’re now operating at a whole new level of scale, capability and impact and there is more to come.”

Says Tom Geekie (right), CEO of Jaywing and Frank Digital: “We’re incredibly proud of the business we’ve built in Australia over the past decade. Jaywing and Frank Digital have grown into highly respected, award-winning agencies in their own right. Merchantwise Group is the perfect new home to take this next step, as they share our passion for creativity, data and innovation. It will bring immediate benefit for our clients as we welcome an award winning social content, strategy and influencer team, a technical performance media team and additional creative resources. The backing of Merchantwise and Parc will also accelerate our AI journey, as we scale and invest in this space as a strategic priority. With their backing, the team is poised to unlock even greater growth and impact for our clients.”

Merchantwise Group is a leading independent brand licensing agency in Australia and New Zealand, with the brand management and licensing division, Merchantwise and Asembl, representing a portfolio of the world’s most iconic brands across gaming, entertainment, FMCG and lifestyle including: Minecraft, SEGA, Activision Blizzard, Xbox, Hasbro, Sony Pictures, Rip Curl, Coca-Cola, Unilever and Diageo.

Merchantwise Group’s foundation in global brand licensing, combined with leading capabilities in media, data, content and experience, positions the business as one of the few fully integrated agencies able to deliver across the entire brand value chain, from IP commercialisation to full-funnel customer growth.

A multiple integrated and performance agency of the year award winner with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, Jaywing has experienced significant growth and partners with leading brands including New Balance, Crocs, Myer, Intuit QuickBooks, a2 Milk, OES and InvoCare.

Sister agency Frank Digital is a highly respected digital product and UX design studio, renowned for building high-performing websites, apps and platforms across government, education, and consumer sectors for clients such as Meriton, The City of Sydney, Merivale, Regional Australia Bank, Employment Hero and Sonder.

Together, they deliver depth across critical digital disciplines including data analytics and AI, UX design and digital product development, eCommerce optimisation, paid media, SEO, and integrated creative strategy, to create a full-service digital offering that complements Merchantwise Group’s brand management expertise and positions the combined entity to deliver end-to-end solutions for Australia’s most ambitious brands.

Adds Schauder: “The addition of Jaywing and Frank Digital gives us unmatched capability in data-led growth. We’re bringing together best-in-class talent from brand, content, performance, UX and data science, and that’s incredibly exciting for our clients and teams alike.”

The acquisition, which doubles Merchantwise Group’s headcount to more than 145, is the latest in its strategic expansion roadmap. Earlier this year it acquired full-service social media marketing agency, The Social CliQ, and user-generated content agency The Content CliQ, connecting brands to over 3,000 creators and influencers worldwide. In 2023 performance marketing and digital media agency, RQ Media, joined the group, which also includes creative marketing agency Three Scoops. Clients of its exiting agencies include Fiji Airways, True Alliance, Healthylife and Disneyland Paris.

Merchantwise Group, which was advised by TalbotSayer and Greenmount, acquired Jaywing Australia and Frank Digital from Jaywing UK, which were advised by SI Partners.

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